Rubber finger shield



May 3, 1960 F. M. CHAPMAN RUBBER FINGER SHIELD Filed Sept. 20, 1957 IN V EN TOR.

Florenqe M. Chap/27m RUBBER FINGER SHIELD Florence M. Chapman, Oakland, Calif.

Application September 20, 1957, Serial No. 685,130

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-25) The present invention relates to improvements in a rubber finger shield, such as is commonly used by stenographers, file clerks and other clerical help in the quick manipulation of sheets and stacks of paper and other stationery for filing, segregating and organizing purposes.

One such shield in common use at the present time is a rubber cap fitting upon the end of the forefinger and formed with a roughened surface in its lower face for grasping paper when pressed upon the same.

This shield has a rounded end fitting closely upon the end of the finger and making little allowance for the finger nail. Furthermore the roughened gripping surfaces smoothes out in a relatively short time, requiring more and more pressure and increasing gripping effort. The rounded end of the shield is of relatively little use.

in the present invention it is proposed to provide certain improvements in the finger shield which will greatly increase its usefulness, will outwear the old type shield many times, will insure better gripping action and will add an altogether new feature in providing a claw at the end of the shield which is particularly useful in running over the edge of a stack of sheets, the claw being adapted to grasp and release each sheet with great accuracy so as to allow the operator to locate a desired sheet of the stack with great speed.

The claw, at the same time, is made to accommodate the finger nail, to avoid fatigue, and the shield itself is made to follow an arcuate curve corresponding substantially to that of the finger tip and merging into the claw end along a smooth line.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as the specification progresses, and the new and useful features of my finger shield will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my finger shield as applied to the forefinger of a hand;

Figure 2, a top plan view of my finger shield;

Figure 3, a side view of the same;

Figure 4, an end view of my shield, viewing it from the open end;

Figure 5, a bottom plan view; and

Figure 6, a longitudinal section taken along line 66 of Figure 2.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my finger shield 1 is made generally in the form of a rubber tube 2 which is arcuate lengthwise to correspond to the are normally formed by the finger tip, the tube being open in the rear end and closed in the front and being dimensioned lengthwise to have its rear end come substantially flush with the first joint of the finger when the latter is fully inserted.

rates Patent F Patented May 3, 1966 The tube is of a diameter to have a firm fit on the finger and is fluted longitudinally, as shown at 3 to fit upon several different finger sizes, within certain limits. I prefer to place it on the market in four sizes with diameters of nine-sixteenths, seven-eighths, eleven sixteenths and three-quarters of an inch.

The tube is preferably formed with a number of perforations 7 which serve as ports to equalize atmospheric pressures and to facilitate insertion and removal of the finger tip.

At its front end, the tube terminates in a claw 8, the extreme end of which lies approximately in the axis of the tube.

Immediately adjacent the claw and rearwardly thereof, I provide a substantially annular flat section 9, which, when the shield is applied to a finger, will lie underneath the forward half of the tip of the finger, that is, underneath that portion of the finger tip which would normally be used for moving a sheet of paper or the like.

The annular flat portion 9 is surrounded by an annular series of beads 10 which extend into the claw and aid in reinforcing the latter. The beads 10 serve as gripping members for the paper and are of such size as to last practically indefinitely.

The claw, as reinforced by the beads, is of considerable thickness and strength and may be used, by itself, to slide over the edge of a stack of papers to be sorted, and to release the same, one by One, with great speed and accuracy.

The claw, at the same time, also furnishes enough space, on the inside of the shield, for the finger nail of the operator, so as to avoid undue pressure on the same.

In use:

With the shield properly positioned on the tip of the forefinger, the operator will use the claw principally against the edge of a stack of papers for exposing the individual sheets in rapid succession.

The claw may also be used for the rapid and instantaneous shifting of papers which offer comparatively little resistance. Where a firmer grip is desired, the operator will flatten her forefinger and bring the annular series of beads to bear on the sheets.

Due to its structural features, the shield may be made of lighter material than has been considered necessary heretofore, is less tiring on the operator, and meets the requirements for different jobs with greater efiiciency by offering selective use of the claw and the bead area.

I claim:

1. A finger shield for manipulating stationery and the like, comprising a rubber casing of tubular form having a longitudinal axis and formed with an axial recess opening to one end thereof for receiving the tip of a human finger, the end of said casing opposite to said recess having an axially extending portion of flattened claw-like form terminating in a pointed tip lying substantially on said axis, said portion being of hollow form to provide a nail-receiving recess communicating with said axial recess so as to accommodate the projecting portion of a finger nail on said finger tip, one side of said portion being formed to merge into said casing in a smooth convex curve.

2. A finger shield for manipulating stationery and the like, comprising a rubber casing of tubular form having a longitudinal axis and formed with an axial recess opening to one end thereof for receiving the tip of a human finger, a single rubber claw on the end of said casing opposite to said recess and projecting therefrom with the tip of said claw substantially on said axis, said claw being of hollow form to provide a nailreceiving recess communicating with said axial recess 3 so as to accommodate the projecting portion of a finger nail on said finger tip, said casing being formed with a relatively flat section adjacent to said claw and an annular series of beads formed on the periphery of said flat section to form a hollow gripping areawith said fiat section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 203,978

4 Winzenried Dec. 30, Clark June 2, Hackett Jan. 29, Hawley Aug. 20, Bergquist Apr. 21, Marsh Nov. 30, Craddock Feb. 13, Chisnell July 3, Darpinian Apr. 27, 

